Question

I have this entity:

    $schema['apiuser'] = array(
        'description' => 'The base table for api_user.',
        'fields' => array(
            'apiuser_id' => array(
                'description' => 'The primary identifier for an artwork.',
                'type' => 'serial',
                'unsigned' => TRUE,
                'not null' => TRUE,
            ),
            'public_key' => array(
                'type' => 'int',
                'not null' => TRUE,
                'default' => 0,
                'description' => "Foreign key: {file_managed}.fid of user's picture.",
            )           
        ),
        'unique keys' => array(
            'id' => array('apiuser_id')
        ),
        'primary key' => array('apiuser_id'),
        );

Later I have added a new field:

,
            $schema['apiuser'] = array(
    'description' => 'The base table for api_user.',
    'fields' => array(
        'apiuser_id' => array(
            'description' => 'The primary identifier for an artwork.',
            'type' => 'serial',
            'unsigned' => TRUE,
            'not null' => TRUE,
        ),
        'public_key' => array(
            'type' => 'int',
            'not null' => TRUE,
            'default' => 0,
            'description' => "Foreign key: {file_managed}.fid of user's picture.",
        ),
        'user_id' => array(
            'description' => 'The primary identifier for an artwork.',
            'type' => 'int',
            'not null' => TRUE,
        )

    ),
    'unique keys' => array(
        'id' => array('apiuser_id')
    ),
    'primary key' => array('apiuser_id'),
    );

Drupal doesn’t change the respective table into mysql so I modified it manually. But now when I try to save the entity that new field is not filled. I have installed devel module and used ‘drush cc all’ to clear the cache, deactivated and activated the modeule but still doesn’t work

Answer 1

This is what the update script is for. You’ll want to write an update_N function, in which you can use the schema object to add your column:

function your_module_update_7001($sandbox) {
  // do some checking (i.e. if already exists, etc)
  // get $schema from wherever you defined it for hook_schema...
  $spec = $schema['fields']['user_id'];
  Database::getConnection()->schema()->addField('apiuser', 'user_id', $spec);
}

Then run http://yoursite.com/update.php and drupal will modify your table accordingly.